Sleepless Nights
by unshakespearean
Summary: After Krop Tor, Rose has trouble sleeping. Takes place after The Satan Pit. 10/Rose fluff, oneshot. Based on a piece on deviantART by theanxiouspineapples (cover picture of this piece) LINK: theanxiouspineapples (dot) deviantart (dot) com (slash) art (slash) Rose-And-The-Doctor-267657072


Rose had thought the dreams of Cybermen were bad enough. She didn't see how it could be any worse. But then she and the Doctor went to Krop Tor, and that all changed.

She hadn't slept since Zack and the crew had drugged her, before strapping her into the spaceship. She was tired, but she couldn't get herself to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, images flooded her head, of the Ood chasing her through the tunnels, of the Beast, and the black hole. But worst of all was when she thought she had lost the Doctor, her Doctor. Even a blink brought a flash of memory; she was terrified of what would happen once she was asleep.

It had been three days since then, three horrid sleepless nights, not including tonight. She wanted to tell the Doctor what was wrong; his presence was always so comforting, so caring. The Doctor hadn't noticed her lack of sleep yet, but he was bound to soon, and it worried her. What if he thought she was too weak, too scared, too _something_, and left her behind?

Voices in her head argued with each other, _do I or don't I_, over and over, and it was driving her mad, until another, different voice rang out in her mind. _Library._

Rose looked around. "What?" she asked.

_He's in the library_, said the voice.

"TARDIS?" asked Rose.

_Yes, little one_, said the TARDIS. _The Doctor is in the library._

"Okay...?" Rose frowned. "Why're you telling me that?"

_Go to him_, said the TARDIS. _Go see the Doctor. He can help you, Rose._

"I'm okay," Rose argued.

_You haven't slept in days._

"Okay, yeah, but-"

_He's worried about you_, said the TARDIS. _He's been wondering why you haven't been yourself. He wants to help you, Rose. He can't bear to see you unhappy._

"He won't think I'm weak?"

_No, he'll be glad you came to him._

Rose sighed. "Okay," she said. "Is he still in the library? Because if he's in bed already-"

_Oh, shut up, _said the TARDIS, and Rose was teleported out of her bedroom.

* * *

A _whoosh_ing sound and a flash of light made the Doctor look up from his book. When he did so, he saw Rose standing a few feet away from him.

"Rose," he said gently. "What are you doing up?"

"Can't sleep," she said. "TARDIS brought me in here." She took a tentative step towards the Doctor's chair, fear in her eyes.

"What's the matter, Rose?" he asked. "You look..."

"What?" she asked.

"_Tired_," he said. "Really, really, tired, like you haven't slept in... wait a minute... Oh! That explains _everything_! Rose, when's the last time you slept?"

Rose sighed. "When they drugged me," she muttered.

"When they drugged you... On Krop Tor? Rose, that was... _that was eighty-seven hours and thirty-seven minutes ago_."

"Yeah."

"You haven't slept in eighty-seven and a half hours! Oh, Rose, how did you manage that long?"

"I dunno," she said.

"Why haven't you slept?" The Doctor's eyes filled with concern.

"Because... because..." Rose trailed off.

"Because what?" the Doctor asked gently.

Rose's eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Before she could even think about her actions, she ran to the Doctor, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The Doctor's arms were already open for her, before she even reached him. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand resting on her back and another around her shoulders, and held her close as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Careful so as not to hit her in the face, the Doctor brought his hand up to Rose's cheek, and laid his thumb on her temple, reaching into her thoughts.

"Why couldn't you sleep, Rose?" he asked again.

Instantly, images flooded his mind, images of the Beast and of the possessed Ood and the black hole, of being dragged away and drugged and strapped into the spaceship. Rose's memories of Krop Tor, playing over and over, and he could see why it would be hard to sleep.

"Every time I close my eyes," Rose whispered into his shoulder. "That."

"No wonder you can't sleep," he said quietly. "Rose, why didn't you tell me sooner? I could've helped-" He was cut off by Rose letting out a great wail, and she buried her head even deeper in his shoulder.

"Okay," he said. "Okay, I suppose it doesn't matter why. You're here now, and now I can help you." He thought for a minute, and then decided, "But first, let's calm you down a bit."

Rose looked up, meeting his eyes. "What?"

"Shh..." The Doctor pulled her in closer. His voice took on a different tone as he spoke again. "Shhhh, Rose. Close your eyes." It was softer now, gentler, almost melodic, and Rose couldn't help but obey. "That's it," he said, his voice still laced with that sweetness. "There you go."

The Doctor could still feel Rose's tears wetting his pinstriped shirt, and it broke his hearts. He wasn't sure what to do. And then he had an idea.

* * *

Rose could feel the tears still pouring out of her closed eyes, and while the Doctor's arms around her were comforting, the overwhelming emotions wouldn't leave her.

And then the Doctor began talking again, but this time, she didn't know what he was saying, for it was some other language she didn't understand. But it was so soft, and calming, like music, and it filled her head in a way that normal talking didn't.

She felt his hand crawl up again to meet her cheek, thumb resting against her temple, and she had a feeling he was trying to go into her mind. _What is it? _she called out in her thoughts. But somehow, in the words he was saying, those foreign words, he was telling her to be quiet, to listen.

_Okay, _she whispered in her mind, and she did listen, to everything he said, and it made _sense_. Not the words he was saying, but the _ideas_ of it, the thoughts and feelings, all were clear to her.

_It's okay, Rose... _

_I'm here... _

_You're going to be alright... _

_Don't cry, Rose... _

_I'm right here... _

_I'm not going to leave you..._

_Everything is going to be okay..._

_I'll take care of you..._

_I'll protect you..._

_Rose Tyler..._

She wrapped her arms tighter around the Doctor's back, glad that he was helping her feel better.

* * *

A few moments later, Rose looked up to see the Doctor looking... no, staring... no, _gazing _down at her, a slight smile on his face, a brightness in his eyes she had never seen before.

"Doctor?" she asked.

He blinked. "Rose." It wasn't a question, just an affirmation that she was there. "You're still crying," he said gently. "Here." He brought his hands up to her cheeks, and, using his thumbs, delicately wiped the tears from her eyes. "That's better."

Rose gave a small smile, her face still cupped in the Doctor's hands.

"There's that smile," said the Doctor, smiling himself. "I do love that smile, you know."

"No," said Rose. "That's not the smile you love. You love _this _one." And she gave him her brightest smile, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

The Doctor couldn't hold it in any longer. He placed a gentle peck on her forehead. "Rose Tyler," he chuckled. "Rose Tyler." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"Yeah?"

"Rose..."

"Are you going to say something?"

The TARDIS hummed.

"Something to add, TARDIS?" asked Rose. The TARDIS hummed in her head, a secret between the two girls.

"I knew it!" Rose laughed.

"Knew what?"

"You are a _chicken_."

"What?"

"900 years of time and space and you are a _chicken_."

"How am I a chicken?"

"Not only that," said Rose, "you're a _thick _chicken."

"_Thick?!_"

"Oh, yeah. You're Mr. Thick Thick Thickity Thickface, from Thicktown, Thickania."

"Hey, I came up with that!"

"Well, it's true."

"Okay, Rose Tyler, how exactly am I thick?"

"You really have no idea, do you?"

"Idea about what? What are you talking about?"

Rose laughed. "Doctor, you really are thick."

"What?!"

_Okay, this is getting ridiculous_, said the TARDIS. _Doctor, she loves you, and she knows you love her. All clear?_

"Oh..." The Doctor might have had a lightbulb over his head.

"Thick," Rose repeated. Then she yawned. "Four days... it's catching up to me." She yawned again. "Think... now that that's over... I'm going to go to bed." She took a step, but the Doctor held her back.

"Oh, no, you aren't walking anywhere. You're practically dead on your feet. Moreover, I'm not leaving your side until you're actually asleep."

Rose grinned. "Okay," she said, yawning again. "Let's go."

"Actually," said the Doctor, "I have a better idea."

"What's that?" asked Rose, rubbing her eyes.

The Doctor touched Rose's temple. Instantly, her knees buckled, and she fell into his arms, sound asleep. "Every minute counts, Rose Tyler," he said quietly. He scooped her up. "Okay, TARDIS, teleport us to her room."

_That might be a little difficult..._

"What do you mean?"

_She doesn't exactly... have a bedroom anymore... and neither do you..._

"What?!" The Doctor half shouted.

_I took it upon myself to merge your bedrooms... I thought it might make a point. And I can't fix it; I sort of deleted the information on your old rooms... Sorry..._

Rose opened her eyes. "Wha'?"

"Oh, did that wake you? Sorry, Rose," said the Doctor.

"Wha' 'appened?"

"The TARDIS has decided to, without consulting either of us, merge our bedrooms permanently."

"Oh..." Rose yawned. "Wait... so... we... share a room now?"

_Oh, like either of you mind._

"'S'okay," murmured Rose. "Won't be alone... no nigh'mares..." She laid her head against the Doctor's chest, and fell asleep again. "Doctor," she whispered in her sleep.

"Okay, fine," said the Doctor. "Take us to _our _bedroom. But mind you, we are going to have a talk about this later."

_Yeah, you'll be thanking me,_ said the TARDIS.

* * *

The Doctor looked around his and Rose's new bedroom, and he grinned. It was a lovely room. Pictures of the two of them covered the walls, and Gallifreyan writing as well. The wall facing the bed had a giant picture of himself and Rose poking their heads out of the TARDIS, with a Gallifreyan inscription: _The Doctor and Rose Tyler, in the TARDIS, as it should be._

"Doctor," Rose murmured again in her sleep. "Doctor..."

The Doctor turned to Rose, and saw her twitching between the TARDIS-blue sheets. He walked over to her and sat down next to her.

"Shhh," he said. "I'm here."

Her eyes fluttered open. "Doctor?"

"I'm here," he repeated. "It's okay. Go back to sleep."

"Nice room," she said, smiling. "This our new room?"

"Apparently," said the Doctor. "Go on back to sleep."

Rose gave him a cheeky smile. "Not 'til you do."

"Rose-"

_I agree_.

"Well, of course _you _would, TARDIS," said the Doctor. "Fine. I could use some sleep too." He kicked off his shoes and climbed into the bed next to Rose.

Rose nuzzled in closer to him, laying her head on his chest, listening to the heartbeats. In an instant she was sound asleep.

"I suppose this isn't so bad," said the Doctor, and he held her close, for that night and - hopefully - every night after.


End file.
